Stark Challenges: Mentors Persist in Africa’s Pandemic Surge

Greetings!

Joy and Pain

Within hours of landing in the U.S. from South Africa in May, I received my first COVID vaccination. What a precious gift of safety and freedom. I am so grateful, so filled with joy to reunite with friends and family and see others do so, too.

At the same time, my heart aches with the daily news from Southern Africa, where the pandemic’s impact is now deep and heavy, made even more cruel by the lack of vaccine. Africa’s long, continuous or frequent school closures, curfews, staggering unemployment and the stress of insecurity and uncertainty are constant reminders of the tremendous inequities we, as the GSGC community, are working to overcome.

My heart aches especially for the youth of Africa. Online learning has posed challenges here in the West, but the girls and boys GSGC serves don’t even have that option. For far too many, the pandemic has meant 18 months of formal learning lost.

As we celebrate the many medical advances for some around the world, let us also remember those who are now in the pandemic’s tightening grip. Let us continue to whole heartedly support GSGC Mentors who have proven themselves not only to be community pillars disseminating accurate Covid information, but leaders who are keeping hope alive with bountiful gardens, tutoring lessons and emotional generosity.

With my heartfelt thanks,

Priscilla Plummer

Founder, Board Chair

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Some Words From Our Mentors

“By the end of primary school, 53% of children in low- and middle-income countries cannot read and understand a simple story. The Covid-19 pandemic has worsened educational inequalities worldwide. That is such a staggering statement and more so the actual reality on the ground is something else.” ~ Mentor Sfe Sebata, Rise N’ Shine Girls Club, Jabulani, Zimbabwe

Members of Rise ‘n Shine Clubs in Zimbabwe, doing home tutoring with their mentors

“COVID is real now. It’s real like never before. We are seeing it so much closer now.” ~ Mentor Nyika Muyambo, Sisonke Boys Club, Monde, Zimbabwe

We invite you to send messages of support

Take a minute to send a message of thanks and encouragement to GSGC Mentors and club members in Zambia, Zimbabwe and Madagascar. A word from you would mean so much to them. To write, click the button below.

Thank you.

Dear Members of the GSGC Community

Time to Act: A Word from our Executive Director

If you’re like me, you’ve been anxiously waiting for the COVID-19 pandemic to end. Here in the U.S., 57% of eligible adults have been fully vaccinated, but the spread of the Delta variant has meant increased COVID cases in all 50 states.

Even so, our situation is better than much of the world's, including Southern Africa.

The pandemic is just beginning to take a huge toll there. Cases in Zimbabwe and Zambia have spiked dramatically. According to Worldometer, the number of COVID-19 cases reported in Zimbabwe has increased by 145% from May 31. Almost 3,000 people have died in a population of less than 15 million. Such numbers are staggering.

In Zambia, with a population of over 18 million, the numbers also are startling: a 94% increase in cases since the end of May and more than 3,000 deaths in total.

And many cases are going unreported. No one is unaffected.

Vaccines have been slow to reach people in these countries. Rural areas, where some of our clubs are located, are especially hard hit. Several of our Mentors have family members and friends who’ve succumbed to the coronavirus. Schools remain closed in the most vulnerable places.

Despite the surge surrounding them, our Mentors remain committed to keeping girls and boys engaged in learning. The clubs have stepped in to fill the gap left by school closures. When and where they can meet face-to-face, they do. Mentors visit homes to ensure their club members are getting the support they need. Because students are still required to take their O- and A-level exams, Mentors are providing tutoring and resources.

This tireless effort places an extraordinary burden on Mentors, the youth and their families. And as the clubs become a vital community resource, the demand for girls and boys to join them has grown significantly. We can’t keep up.

That’s why we need you.

Won’t you please take a moment to appreciate the blessings you have and share them with our Mentors? In Africa, even modest gifts can have a large impact. A gift of $25, $50, $100 or more would help provide the clubs with essential resources and recognize the efforts of GSGC Mentors. Thank you for supporting our clubs in Southern Africa.

Give to help at this time

Paul Ventura

Executive Director

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Members of Matula and Yosefe Girls Club in Zambia wear resilient smiles

behind their masks, whilst receiving outdoor academic help from their Mentors.

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